Bathroom vents: why so expensive?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
A

arcas

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2001
2,155
2
0
Why is it that bathroom vents are so expensive for the amount of air they push? If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, you'll find even the el-cheapo 50cfm howlers that contractors install cost $40-$50. Good luck finding a 100+cfm vent for under $100. I just installed an 80cfm vent in my bathroom that cost around $90 (no light, no heater, just a little squirrel cage blower in a sheet metal enclosure). And it's not exactly quiet, either. It's rated at 1.5 sone which, if I'm doing the conversion correctly, is about 42db.

Functionally, what's the difference between a bathroom vent and, say, a pair of 50cfm muffin fans? Granted, there probably aren't many silent 120VAC muffin fans out there but there certainly are in the 12VDC world. Take two quiet 50cfm fans at $5/ea and a 10W 12VDC power supply for $8 and it seems you can construct a 100cfm exhaust vent for under $20 that's comparable in physical size to the squirrel cage vents sold in home improvement stores for $100.

 
J

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Originally posted by: arcas
Why is it that bathroom vents are so expensive for the amount of air they push? If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot, you'll find even the el-cheapo 50cfm howlers that contractors install cost $40-$50. Good luck finding a 100+cfm vent for under $100. I just installed an 80cfm vent in my bathroom that cost around $90 (no light, no heater, just a little squirrel cage blower in a sheet metal enclosure). And it's not exactly quiet, either. It's rated at 1.5 sone which, if I'm doing the conversion correctly, is about 42db.

Functionally, what's the difference between a bathroom vent and, say, a pair of 50cfm muffin fans? Granted, there probably aren't many silent 120VAC muffin fans out there but there certainly are in the 12VDC world. Take two quiet 50cfm fans at $5/ea and a 10W 12VDC power supply for $8 and it seems you can construct a 100cfm exhaust vent for under $20 that's comparable in physical size to the squirrel cage vents sold in home improvement stores for $100.
Click to expand...

If you think you can make it for cheaper and sell it for less you should start your own bathroom vent mgfr company.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
12
81
There are plenty of AC-powered 120mm fans, but yeah, they're not too silent. I used one in a sandwich configuration to increase flow on a HEPA filter for my sister. It was hilarious, so loud that the allergies aren't what kept anyone awake anymore.

What happens if you apply AC current to a 12VDC computer fan, anyway? I thought it'd still spin...
 
amdskip

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
I'm in the middle of a bathroom gut job and I'm replacing everything but the tub and exhaust fan. Fan was too expensive to replace, old one still seems to work ok, so I'm leaving it.
 
Throckmorton

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
I bet the 120mm fans you want to use can't create as much pressure, so they'd move much less air through all those ducts etc.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,603
13,982
146
A big part of the difference isn't in the total CFM that gets pushed...but the pressure that it gets pushed at as Throckmorton mentioned. Yes, in a relatively open situation, a good bisquit fan may push more CFM's but they aren't designed to push against the pressure that would be generated in a ductwork system.
 
waffleironhead

waffleironhead

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2005
7,020
519
136
You are paying for airflow/noise. the higher the airflow and the lower the noise the more you pay. For a cheap alternative get a squirel cage barn fan for ~$20 and some ear plugs.
 
N

NoCreativity

Golden Member
Feb 28, 2008
1,735
62
91
I bought here. A bit cheaper than Lowes and Home Depot but I bought there because no one by my house carried the quiet, energy star versions of the fans.

Broan/Nutone ultra silent. I only needed the 80 CFM and that's rated at 0.8 sones. 110 CFM rated at 1.0-1.1 sones.
 
Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
19
81
Originally posted by: sjwaste
What happens if you apply AC current to a 12VDC computer fan, anyway? I thought it'd still spin...
Click to expand...
My guess:
Sparks, smoke, and possibly fire or a tripped circuit breaker.



 
N

NoShangriLa

Golden Member
Sep 3, 2006
1,652
0
0
1. Price relate to volume of sales.
2. Bathroom fan come with moisture resistant paint & are approved for such application (building code, electrical code, fire code, and house insurance).
3. Bathroom fan are rated for 0.10 friction factor or 0.25 friction factor for 15 feet of duct work (however friction factor, back pressure, CFM, and noise greatly affected once you add a vent hood, elbows/bends, and flex ducting). While most regular fan are none friction rated.
4. Bathroom fan are relatively cheap compare to the cost of renovate a moldy bathroom.

PS. I prefer the more expensive Panasonic 0.3 zones at 80 CFM.

can't you just, like, open the window?
Click to expand...
Bathroom fans are a requirement in today building code. Old building code only require windows in bathroom, but it was upgraded (code change was made a round 20 years ago) to active ventilation due to mold & moisture damage.

 
Q

QED

Diamond Member
Dec 16, 2005
3,428
3
0
Funny, I actually prefer the slightly louder fans to mask out other bathroom noises. It's not really enjoyable to hear everyone else's "business" when you're in the room over...
 
N

NoShangriLa

Golden Member
Sep 3, 2006
1,652
0
0
Originally posted by: amdskip
I'm in the middle of a bathroom gut job and I'm replacing everything but the tub and exhaust fan. Fan was too expensive to replace, old one still seems to work ok, so I'm leaving it.
Click to expand...
Sound insulate the bathroom if you are already gutting the bathroom. Increase the duct to 4" if you can get at it because it would allow for better & quieter fans.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom